Britepaths' Food Bridge Program provides regular deliveries of food and/or grocery store gift cards to 80 families in the Fairfax County area for six to nine months while they work to overcome a financial crisis. Most are working with mentors and coaches in our Financial Literacy and Workforce Development programs. We also assist approximately 300 families per year with emergency food when their cupboards are bare. Many of the families we serve are working hard but struggling to make ends meet in our expensive area.
Update, December 2021: We are very low on a number of supplies in our pantry. Please see listing below. Read the Connection Article
Can You Help Our Food Bridge Families?
Our greatest need is grocery store gift cards to help our families purchase fresh foods that meet their children's dietary needs. Many of our families also receive financial education through Britepaths, and grocery cards help put the budgeting skills they are learning to work.
donate
Donate to help us purchase grocery gift cards at a bulk discount. All funds donated on this secure page will provide grocery cards to local families to help fill gaps in our food delivery calendar, assist those who are on the waitlist for our delivered food program and provide emergency assistance. You may also mail a check made payable to "Britepaths" to Britepaths, 3959 Pender Drive, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030. Be sure to write "Food Bridge" in the memo line. Donation Form (MS Word) (PDF)
Other Ways to Help:
- Donate Via Our Amazon Wish List: Click Here to donate food and supplies via Amazon that will be sent directly to our office. Please note that Amazon does not give us your contact information. Please include it in your order notes so that we can thank you! Log in via our Amazon Smile page, and you'll help even more – for this, and any Amazon purchases you make!
- Run a Grocery Store Gift Card Drive Click Here for information on running a gift card drive or food drive virtually or in your neighborhood/organization to help our families. Note we do not recommend collecting at grocery stores at this time.
- Be a Food Bridge Supporting Organization We need local organizations to collect and mail grocery cards to Food Bridge families each Sunday. If you are interested in learning how your organization can be a Food Bridge Supporter once or twice a year, contact cgarris@britepaths.org.
Donate to Our Pantry
Our address: 3959 Pender Drive, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030; Phone: 703.273.8829
Our pantry is in our office in Fairfax near Rte. 50/66. We generally accept pantry donations and gift cards on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Directions to Our Office. Please Note: Our Offices will be Closed on December 24 through 31, and we will not be accepting donations during that time.
Please Call Ahead! We've listed our typical office hours, but this can vary sometimes. We cannot promise to be available to receive your donation if we don't know in advance that it's coming! Please contact 703.273.8829 or info@britepaths.org to coordinate the time and date of your delivery.
Most-Needed Items: URGENT NEEDS
Note: We are also in great need of Reusable Grocery Bags to send the food and supplies home with our families.
Food
- Cereal (family sized, healthy types with less sugar, please!)
- Rice
Household/Hygiene Items
- Toilet paper
- Laundry detergent (liquid or pods)
- All-purpose cleaners/Windex/toilet bowl cleaner/Clorox wipes
- Shampoo/Conditioner
- Body wash
- Deodorant
On-going Needs
Food
- Beans (dried or canned)
- Cooking oil
- Fruit cups in 100% juice
- Jam/jelly
- Oatmeal in canisters
- Pancake mix/syrup
- Parmesan cheese (shelf-stable)
- Pasta and pasta sauce
- Peanut butter
- Snacks -- healthy foods such as crackers, pretzels, popcorn and granola/cereal bars
Household/Hygiene Items
- Bar soap
- Paper towels
- Razors
- Sponges/cleaning supplies
- Toothpaste/toothbrushes
NOTE: We cannot use items that have been opened, cans that are dented or ANY food that is past its expiration date.
For hygiene products and toiletries, full-size (versus travel size) products are preferred.
